Monday, May 6, 2013

Antibodies & Their Specific Isotypes

By Armand Zeiders


The white blood cells of mammals naturally produce a certain kind of protein which is called the antibody. It is a particular type of white blood cells, the lymphocyte or B-cell, that produces the antibodies. It is common for scientists to call these as immunoglobulin. However, despite the many names that these may have, what is common is that these antibodies function to protect the human cells from bacterial or viral infection. This is the reason why the production of antibodies is considered to be a very important function of the human body.

There are several different types or rather isotypes of antibodies that are found in the human body. Each of these isotypes is located in a different part of the body and has a slightly different function. The IgA isotype, for example, is found is areas that produce mucous, such as the respiratory tract and urogential tract, as well as in saliva, tears and even breast milk. These IgA antibodies prevent infectious agents from colonizing in our bodies.

The IgG antibody, on the other hand, has this distinct characteristic of being created in order to protect the fetus from bacteria or virus. This is the antibody that is known also for having the capability of triggering most immune responses. It is because of this capability that it is often applied in screening tests to determine diseases like measles, mumps, and chicken pox.

The IgM immunoglobulin exists on the surface of the B-cells and its basic function is to attack the pathogens before they penetrate the B-cells. They are sort of the first line of defense against diseases. The IgD antibody protects B-cells that have never been exposed to any type of antigen before. It also helps activate antimicrobial responses in our mast cells and basophils, which are a special type of white blood cell. The mast cells have many functions; including helping the body heal from cuts and wounds.

The IgE antibodies also play a very crucial role in enabling the body deal with allergens. It is these that prompt the release of histamines also from the mast cells and basophils, which counter different kinds of allergies. Aside from this, these also prompt the body to get rid of parasites, including the different types of worms.

Custom polyclonal antibodies and even monoclonal antibodies are those that are developed by scientists in order to facilitate the development of new treatment methods and medications for several types of diseases. Many scientists though prefer to outsource monoclonal antibody production services to other labs, preferable a biotech one, where the process of custom peptide syntheses and N-terminal sequencing are conducted.




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